(Washington, DC) – Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) led members of the Texas delegation in opposition to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Healthy Texas Women (HTW) Section 1115 Demonstration waiver, which prohibits health care providers from receiving Medicaid funding if they offer abortion services.  This waiver limits the ability of low-income Texas families to access essential family planning health care services and sets a dangerous, first-in-the nation precedent for other states to replicate.

“No decision is more personal or life-changing than whether and when to have a family.  Family planning services are an essential part of our health care system, but the Healthy Texas Women Section 1115 Demonstration waiver limits the ability for millions of families to access these critical services,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.  “By approving this waiver, Texas has set a dangerous precedent for states across the country.  I am calling on CMS to revoke this rule and protect women’s access to safe and affordable health care.”

Healthy Texas Women (HTW) offers family planning and women's health services to Texas women who earn less than 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Limit. Under 1115 of the Social Security Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services can waive certain Medicaid requirements for states to implement experimental, pilot, or demonstration programs designed to expand eligibility, cover additional services, or use innovative service delivery models. However, there is no precedent for limiting recipient’s choice of provider, especially when this will do nothing to expand access to critical services.

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher was joined by Representatives Al Green (TX-09), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Filemon Vela (TX-34), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Lloyd Dogget (TX-25), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Colin Allred (TX-32), and Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30).  The full text of the letter is available here.